The same weekend as the San Sulpice book fair was the annual photo fair in Bievre, a 30 minute ride outside of Paris. It's a very small town, the home to a museum of photography and the site of the annual pilgrimage of collectors and dealers from around the world. It began as a camera and accessories fair (lens, attachments, hard to find geegaws for that circa 1940s Leica) eventually expanding to include photographs and photo book dealers. It was another gorgeous, blue sky day, ripped with high altitude clouds and, closer to earth, non-celestial inspirational encounters with colleagues and friends, stove-pipe magic lanterns, autochromes and a huge selection of 19th and 20th century photographs. All making for an overwhelming, wonderful day!
Circa 1905 Autochrome of a soldier in a vintage, green passe partout viewer.
Ombro-Cinema animated toy with moving scenes 1920s,
Charlie Chaplin on the front
The town square, filled with restaurants and cafes, is situated on a roundabout with the fair taking place in the adjoining town park. It's all very lush and green with tall tress and hundreds of stands and visitors. I found only a couple of photographs to purchase, nevertheless I loved every minute and hope to get back here next year.
The beautiful museum building in the background.
Photo alleys top and bottom
What are you looking for 19th century-wise? Amateur albums, travel photos, architecture, passage, nudes it was all there. Prices are inflated and that is the norm these days. Dealers reported a good crowd and very slow sales. Too much overpriced material! It's no longer (for years now) a seller's market. There needs to be a global re-adjustment, reducing prices to a point where dealers and collectors can buy the material being offered, especially at this type of fair!
It's part dealers under tents and thrown down blankets covered with stuff. Hey there's a copy of Avedon's Observations in the slipcase as well as an extensive run of Camera magazine from Switzerland. Wonder how much he's asking? He's was on his ipad and never looked up and I didn't want to bother him (snark). Our present, our future, our demise.
Vintage camera dealer set-up in the park with their van.
Very nice piece of photo-furniture looking like a surreal anthropomorphic
animal of some sort.
One dealer's stand. Too many 19th century cameras and accessories...never.
Magic lanterns
See you next year!
